Farmers’ Formula: Recipes From the Market

The Ingredient: Asparagus

Ah, asparagus. It is a handful of a vegetable—both pungent and sweet, crisp as a cracker when done correctly but a mess of fibrous mush when overcooked, with one of the shortest growing seasons and shortest shelf-life of all California produce, and an aromatic essence that—ahem—stays with us long after the veggie itself has left the table.

But despite its rather finicky nature, asparagus is much loved, and deservedly so. Studies have shown the combination of phytonutrients in asparagus to be highly anti-inflammatory, and the vegetable’s arsenal of antioxidants, including vitamin C, beta-carotene, and the minerals zinc, manganese, and selenium, keep our bodies functioning at top capacity. It is rich in fiber and also contains a high amount of protein to maintain good digestion. With more than 100 percent of our daily value of vitamin K, asparagus also provides impressive amounts of vitamins A and B, as well as almost 70 percent of our daily value of folate.

As for that irksome smell, you may find it interesting to know that studies have shown that while the production of the smell itself (the result of the metabolism of various sulfur-containing compounds in the veggie) is a universal human trait, only about 22 percent of people have the autosomal genes required to smell it. Not something you necessarily want to test at home, I know, but noteworthy all the same.

The Recipe: Prosciutto-wrapped Asparagus

All you need for this extraordinarily simple recipe is:

Equal parts sliced prosciutto and asparagus (as fresh as possible, as the veggie has a refrigerator shelf-life of only about two days, max), in whatever quantity you desire.

A few splashes of extra virgin olive oil

Cracked black pepper. 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Rinse each stalk of asparagus and trim off the tough, light-colored piece on the very base of the stalk. Wrap a piece of prosciutto around each stalk, starting at the base and working up toward the tip, leaving the tip exposed. (You may only need to use half a slice of prosciutto to do this.) Place the wrapped asparagus stalks on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, dust lightly with cracked black pepper, and shake the pan to roll the asparagus and evenly coat.

Place in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove, and shake the pan again to roll them over. Return to oven for another 5 minutes. Serve hot, sliced into bite-sized pieces as an appetizer or whole as a side dish. Enjoy!

Recommended wine pairing: Uh-oh. As many of you serious wine drinkers know, asparagus is the wino’s ultimate enemy. Certain chemicals present in the veggie (the same ones that only 22 percent of us can smell) can make a quite innocent glass of wine taste vegetal, hostile, and just plain rotten. Still, it’s too delicious a vegetable to not invite it to the dinner party just because it has a hard time mixing with the other guests. The use of sauces and seasoning, like the rich, salty prosciutto, will help make the veggie more wine-friendly. Avoid wines with a lot of tannin and oak, and stick with bright, refreshing white wines with plenty of acidity, such as sauvignon blanc, or pinot gris/pinot grigio. (Tip: Try the wines of Alsace—made from the pinot gris grape—where asparagus has been cultivated for centuries.) Cheers!